Some of the top boys story lines to watch at the NJSIAA group championships on Friday and Saturday at Egg Harbor for Groups, 1, 4 and Non-Public B and South Plainfield for Groups 2, 3 and Non-Public A: (Note: We also have 10 Girls championships storylines to watch)

CLASH OF TITANS

Defending champion Christian Brothers Academy and Union Catholic will renew their rivalry it would should be another great battle between two of the state’s best in the Non-Public A meet. Christian Brothers defeated Union Catholic, 112-104, for its 18th state outdoor title last year, second in state history behind Montclair’s 21. Union Catholic, seeking its first state outdoor title, has the edge on paper. But CBA, behind its remarkable distance crew, always seems to rise to the occasion. Union Catholic is the pick to win, by about 20 points.

RAISE THE BAR

There is a chance that several records in the pole vault could be broken, as Craig Hunter of Robbinsville (Group 2), Jordan Pacheco of Morris Hills (Group 3), Nick Eckett of Jackson Liberty (Group 3) and Peter Fagan of Westfield (Group 4) all have set their sights high. Hunter, the state leader at 16-6, seeks to break the Group 2 record (15-7) as well as the record for all groups combined (16-2¾), set in 2004 by Adam Sarafian of Ocean Township. Pacheco, who has made 16-1, and Eckett, who has a cleared 15-6, are also after Sarafian’s mark, also the Group 3 standard. Fagan is after the Group 4 record (16-0) set by Dan Heyburn of Cranford in 1980.

GREAT EIGHTS

Last year, A.J. Chavez of West Windsor-Plainsboro South won the Group 4 800 in 1:50.59, the meet record for all groups combined. Twins Isaac and Jacob Clark of Pleasantville in Group 2 and Dylan Capwell of Hopatcong in Group 1 could top that. Isaac Clark has run 1:50.27 and Jacob Clark 1:50.30 this season, while Capwell has run 1:51.26. Ben Malone of Pascack Valley, the 2012 Meet of Champions 800 winner, is out after bypassing sectionals to run the Dream Mile last Saturday.

RED-HOT PEPPERS

Junior Jabrill Peppers of Paramus Catholic, who announced this week that he’s heading to Michigan on a football scholarship, could take down the Non-Public A records in both the 100 and 200. Peppers, who has run state season bests in the 100 (10.50) and 200 (21.37), will chase the records of 10.56 by Michael Ray Garvin of Don Bosco Prep in 2005 and 21.52 by Clayton Parros of Seton Hall Prep in 2009.

NEW SCORING SYSTEM

It will be interesting to see how the new team scoring system for the public schools works out, as only the top two teams from each section (eight teams per group) are eligible to score in the group meet. Previously, a team could win a state title with a couple stars scoring all its points. It will now take a complete team effort to win.

THE 7-0 CLUB

Senior Zach Davis of Sparta (Group 3) and junior David Njoku of Cedar Grove (Group 1) hope to become the state's first high jumper to clear 7-0 this season. Davis leads the state at 6-10¾ and Njoku has made 6-10.

THE 50-0 CLUB

LSU-bound Jon Pitt of South Brunswick, who soared 49-5 (No. 4 in state history) to win the triple jump at the Central Jersey, Group 4 meet, could break the meet record (all groups combined) of 50-0¼ set in 2007 by Devon Bond of Trenton. The state record of 50-5 was set by Chris Phipps of Lodi in 2008.

SUPER SOPHS

Sophomores Colin Winslow of Sayreville, who has run 47.92 in the 400 this season, and Taylor McLaughlin of Union Catholic, who has run 47.99 in the one lapper, could make a run at the state sophomore record of 47.23 set in 2002 by Adian Sanderson of Ewing.

GOING THE DISTANCE

With talented juniors Liam Mullett of Pingry and Josiah Hanko of Trinity Christian in Saturday’s Non-Public B 3,200, the meet record of 9:12.04 by Doug Smith of Gill St. Bernard’s in 2008 is on shaky ground. Mullett, the defending champion, has the top time in the state this season of 9:05.19. Hanko has a personal best of 9:14.56.

AIR SHOW

Curtis Thompson of Florence, who has thrown the javelin 214-7 this season) and Chris Mirabelli of Holy Cross (211-10) could challenge the all-groups record of 214-7 set in 2010 by Kaleb Zuidema of Midland Park.